nutrition in man Flashcards
(39 cards)
function of physical digestion
physically breaks food up into smaller pieces: increases SA to vol ratio of food so enzymes can hydrolyse food molecules faster
salivary glands
secrete salivary amylase that hydrolyses amylose (starch) to maltose
tongue
mixes food with saliva and shapes into boli
oesophagus (structure)
muscular tube that connects the pharynx to the stomach
peristalsis
rythmic wave-like contractions of the muscles to mix (stomach) and propel the contents of the ailmentary canal
food pushed forward
circular muscles contract and longitudinal muscles relax so the wall of the gut constricts
lumen widens for food to enter
longitudinal muscles contract and circular muscles relax so wall of the gut dilates
stomach physical digestion
churning mixes food with gastric juice and breaks food up into even smaller pieces
stomach chemical digestion
secretes gastric juice – contains HCl and inactive pepsinogen
pepsinogen
inactive form of pepsin to prevent protease from digesting cells that secrete it
pepsin
protease enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of proteins into polypeptides
HCl functions (4)
- activates inactive pepsinogen into active pepsin
- creates optimal acidic environ for pepsin
- kills bacteria ingested with food
- denatures proteins, exposes peptide bonds for protein hydrolysis
parts of the small intestine
duodenum, jejunum, ileum
chemical secretions in duodenum
- pancreatic juice (amylase, trypsin, lipase)
- intestinal juice (maltase, peptidase, lipase)
- bile produced by liver and stored and released by gall bladder
trypsin (similar to pepsin)
proteins into polypeptides
peptidase
polypeptides into amino acids
maltase
maltose to glucose
lipase
fats to glycerol and fatty acids
chemical secretions are alkaline
what contributes & why?
bicarbonate ions
1. neutralise acidic chyme from stomach
2. optimal pH for maximum activity of enzymes
small intestine physical digestion
fat emulsification by bile
– large droplets of fats are emulsified into small droplets of fats – increases SA to vol ratio
absorption of glucose and amino acids in small intestine (villi)
enter epithelial cells via active transport, transported away by blood capillaries (via facilitated diffusion)
absorption of glycerol and fatty acids in small intestine
glycerol and fatty acids enter epithelial cells via diffusion, transported away as fat globules via lacteals
structural adaptations of small intestine
(4)
- very long
- many folds, presence of villi, individual epithelial cells have microvilli
- epithelium of villi is one cell thick
- rich network of capillaries + lacteals in villi
long
large total surface area, and sufficient time for absorption of nutrients